Review

03

B Is for Brotherhood by Joa MacNalie

B Is for Brotherhood written by Joa MacNalie, illustrated by Adua Hernandez

From Goodreads: Read along as best-selling author, Joa Macnalie of the Athletes and Activism series curates the conversation of police brutality/misconduct and the racial climate of our country. The lives of influencers such as Colin Kaepernick and Eric Reid encourage children to use their voice in order to effect change, help children become critical consumers of media, and to stand for what they believe in, even in the midst of great adversity.

This book is lit, y’all. Every parent, every teacher, every librarian, every adult, every kid should own this book and be reading it. Reading it aloud; to themselves; in storytime; at bedtime; at school; in the library; EVERYWHERE. Get this book on your shelves NOW. Do not wait, run to Amazon or Indiebound or wherever you order your books online. Get. It.

Okay, it’s on its way to you? Perfect. Let’s talk about it. I have a handful of books that really, really look racism (of the systemic kind) in the face. There is a place for books showing Black and brown folks going about their lives, living their culture and generally being. There is a place for books that speak more to existential injustice that allow children (and their grown ups) to chew on meaty questions and ideas. But there is equally a place that calls out racism and speaks out against it. Truth to power, folks. B Is for Brotherhood is just that kind of book. It is a book we can share with our young readers to draw connections between news events and how they show us the racism that is in the waters of America.

The book starts with a look at Kaepernick and his protest of the national anthem, then draws in a handful of people who stood (or knelt) with him in his protest. We are introduced to the veteran who spoke with Kaepernick and encouraged him to kneel out of respect for veterans but still in protest of injustice for people of color in America. Then the book dives into the backlash to his protest. The racist comments by owners, fans, and commentators likening players to inmates and telling them to shut up and dribble.

Then Brotherhood says

” If racism ended a long time ago then riddle me this,

Why is there room for 954 hate groups to live on and persist?

Why can white men dress in white robes, light torches, and terrorize?

While colored folks are left to dispute the significance of their own lives.

Why indeed? No flinching there from the ugly fact that white people are still upholding white supremacy. That our president can say there were “good people on both sides” about a group of White terrorists that ran over peaceful anti-racist protestors. This book validates Black lives and the struggle for liberation. It is also imperative that White children hear these ideas and messages and Brotherhood does that too. Bias, racism, and white supremacy need the light shined on them so White folks can fight it within ourselves.

The book pivots from here to look more broadly at what Kap was/is protesting. MacNalie weaves in BBQ Becky, the two men arrested for sitting in Starbucks, H&M’s racist sweatshirt, EA Games, and other current events that have sparked an awaking for some, business as usual for others, and grabbed some amount of media attention. James Baldwin gets quoted and MacNalie says “If it’s still hard to see racism…take the veil off your face.” If that’s not a call to White folks to step up, see the world for what it is, and take action, I don’t know what is.

After looking at recent racist incidents, Brotherhood then turns back to Kap. This time by looking at both the fallout within the NFL and the many awards and recognitions Kaepernick has gotten including his campaign with Nike. Again, a few sentences are dedicated to examining the fallout specifically from that.

MacNalie ends with the powerful

It wasn’t about the bus when Rosa Parks sat and it’s not about the flag now.

Sixty years later Blacks still are not allowed.

Before you dispute our claims, know that privilege is meant to be unseen…”

Which of course takes Rosa Parks, a favorite story of White liberals, and reminds everyone that she wasn’t just a tired old lady at the end of her shift. Her act of resistance targeted a system, not just the ability to sit on a bus. And it was planned. Parks was a lifetime activist and she was chosen for this direct action. But the more things change, the more they stay the same. If we don’t recognize the system of privilege and white supremacy and actively choose to fight it, it’s not going anywhere.

This is such a powerful book. It can open so many conversations and breaks the silence on white supremacy. A silence that is intentional, as it up holds systemic racism. Teachers who want to be anti-racist should have this book proudly out on their shelves and should be proudly reading it to their students. Teachers of color have a book that upholds the validity and necessity of the struggle for liberation. Parents and librarians of the same stripes have this as well in B Is for Brotherhood. Get it on your shelves and then get it into your student’s hands.

Disclosure: I was sent a review copy by the publisher, Melanin Origins, in exchange for an honest review.

Final note: If you do purchase this book, please post a review of it on Amazon. This will help other folks find the book and know that it’s worth purchasing. If you use any other book services like GoodReads or your local library’s online catalog be sure to post a review there too! And if your local library doesn’t have a copy, request that they purchase one.

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I do really want them! But I have comments turned off because of the absurd amount of spam I was getting through them. If you would like to leave a comment, email me at tibbicus[at]mac[dot]com. I can turn them on for individual posts for you. I know it's an extra step, but seriously I was getting at least a hundred spam comments a day.